Obituaries - Feb. 22, 2008

Michael Coler

Glendale Community College faculty and staff this week are mourning the passing of longtime employee Mike Coler.

Coler died in his La Crescenta home.

Coler was director of the college’s media center until his retirement in 2003. Known for his witty sense of humor and technological expertise, Coler leaves behind a 38-year legacy on campus.

Because of his condition, Coler had limited use of his hands and arms and utilized a wheelchair to get around, even using his feet to drive.

Coler is credited with helping the college maintain its technological infrastructure, always willing to lend a hand when something “catastrophic,” as English professor Monette Tiernan describes it, would occur.

No services were immediately planned, and in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to any polio foundation.

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Jessica Cuesta

Jessica Christine Cuesta passed away in her home on Feb. 15, after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. Jessica was surrounded by her family and friends at the time of her death.

She was born in South Lake Tahoe on June 15, 1970. She married her best friend, Robert Cuesta, on Aug. 16, 1997. Jessica was an incredible mother to her two young children, Cameron and Ashlin.

Jessica was best known for her love of running and the outdoors. She was thoughtful and caring and always looking out for others.

She was free-spirited and full of life. Her spirit touched those who knew her.

Jessica, a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, is survived by her husband, Robert; son Cameron; daughter Ashlin; father, Daniel Murray; mother, Barbara Link; brothers Brian Murray and Gerred Link; and sister, Julia Newlin.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Lighted Window at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23.

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Verna May Dees

Friends and family mourn the passing of Verna May Dees who passed away on Feb. 13. She was 104. She passed peacefully at the home of her granddaughter, Patti May, in La Crescenta where she had been living for the last 15 months.

Verna was born in Paducah, Ky. as Verna May Reeder. She married Earl Dees, also of Kentucky, eventually settling down in Tulsa, Okla., raising three children.

Verna is survived by her three children, Betty Renjel of Lompoc, June Turner of Tulsa, and Jerry Dees of Boerne, Texas; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service to celebrate Verna’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Crescenta Valley Community Church, 4001 La Crescenta Ave. in La Crescenta. Interment will be held at Lompoc District Cemetery in Lompoc on Monday, Feb. 25.

Peggy (Margaret Jane) Ferry

Margaret “Peggy” Jane Ferry died Feb. 12, 2008.

Born in Pasadena on Feb. 10, 1919, Peggy was one of the two stars of our life. For nearly nine decades she was our example of the ideal of motherhood: a devoted wife, a loving mother and a generous volunteer.

She grew up in Altadena, San Diego and later, Glendale. It was during her time at Glendale High School that she first met the young man, Bill Ferry, who would later become her costar, husband and father to their three children.

Marriage was put on hold when war intervened, and Peggy became a Red Cross nurse. In 1942 Bill Ferry was granted leave between his training and next assignment and he and Peggy both eagerly jumped at the chance to get married. For the following year or two, she accompanied Bill to a number of bases around the United States as he took on more assignments as captain in the US Army. In 1944 he was shipped over to Europe where he remained until 1946.

Billy Ferry was born in December 1946, Jane in December of 1948 and Helen Anne, born in June of 1955, completed their family. Peggy made sure the children all got a little art and music in their education, while Bill occasionally had to supply the discipline.

In 1951 the family moved into a house in La Cañada, and have called it home ever since.

As her family grew, Peggy found increasing rewards in a wide field of volunteer projects. Over the years she gave much of herself. She was on the boards of four Catholic grammar and high schools. Peggy was a volunteer at Holy Family Adoption Center; a supporter of the Holy Angels Church for the Deaf; a charter member of St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church and her parish’s Grief Ministry group; and a member of the Education Foundation of Los Angeles Catholic Diocese.

She also served as a trustee for the Fund for Irish Seminaries and long actively supported the Right-to-Life Program.

Her service also included the Bethlehem House for the Poor, Angel’s Flight Los Angeles, the Cardinal’s House of Prayer and the Christ Child Society of Pasadena.

Peggy’s activities were never about rewards, but such unselfish service did not go unrecognized. Several civic and church groups have honored her for her actions over the years.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, William Ferry (2000); and their daughter Jane (1972). She is survived by William Ferry Jr, his wife Beth, Helen McMeekin her husband Tom and her five grandchildren: Mike, Ann, Sara, Kay & Tyler.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to either St. Andrews Monastery (P. O. Box 40, Valyermo, Ca 93563) or St. Bede’s Brothers Helpers (215 Foothill Blvd, La Cañada, CA 91011).

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Frances Silliman

Frances Silliman died Jan. 31 in Montrose. She was 94.

She was born Frances Emily Hughes in Calhoun County, Ark. Frances married Guy Silliman Sr. who was also from Calhoun County.

They began their married lives in Camden, Ark. and later moved to El Dorado, Ark.where Frances worked at Murphy Oil Company until she retired in 1976.

In 1979 they moved to Montroseto be near her only child, Alfred, daughter-in-law Jean, and two grandchildren Guy and Gina.

In addition to working and raising a family, Frances enjoyed sewing as a life-long hobby. She made clothes for her family and especially for her grandchildren.

In her retirement years she became an accomplished quilt maker and produced many baby blankets and adult sized quilts.

Frances is survived by her son, Alfred; daughter-in-law, Jean; grandchildren, Guy Silliman and Gina O’Bryan; and great-grandson Coleman Michael O’Bryan.

Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. Skip Lindeman of the Church of the Lighted Window in La Cañada, were held Tuesday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale.